Communication devices are intelligent terminals in which computer-supported functions, such as an Internet communication function, an information search function, etc., have been added to conventional mobile phones. Based on applications, various functions are being added to the functions of communication devices.
Communication devices are equipped with a mobile instant messenger function adapted to transmit messages, photos, moving images, voices, contact information, etc. to counterparts, a camera function, a navigation function, a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) function, a multimedia player function adapted to play back MPEG Audio Layer-3 (MP3) data and digital moving images, an additional security function using biometric information such as an iris identification function or a fingerprint identification function, etc. It is expected that the functions of more digital devices will be converged via application programs using applications.
Meanwhile, since interest in medical welfare and well-being is increasingly growing due to an increase in the level of income, the focus of a medical field is shifting from the treatment of disease and illness to health management and preventive health care. In line with this trend, recently, there has been actively conducted research and development of home health care systems in which medical welfare is combined with a ubiquitous concept, thereby significantly reducing the temporal and spatial limitations of health diagnosis and health management.
With the development of technology for the integration and miniaturization of electronic devices, there have been developed portable measuring devices capable of measuring the blood sugar level, blood pressure, electrocardiogram or the like of an individual without requiring a visit to a hospital. However, these portable measuring devices merely measure biometric information, but do not provide a comprehensive function for preventing and managing diseases by storing the measured data and integrating the stored data.
Accordingly, the development of self-diagnosis devices using communication devices and a communication network is ongoing. As examples, methods of measuring biometric information using a communication device include: a method of including a measuring module, exclusive of a display, in the battery pack of a communication device; a method of minimizing a biometric information measuring module, attaching the minimized biometric information measuring module to a serial port, and performing measurement; and a method of transmitting data, measured by a portable health measuring device, to a remote health management server via a communication device using short-distance wireless communication.
However, the case of including a biometric information measuring module in a battery pack has a disadvantage in that high-temperature heat generated in the battery pack influences the measuring module and, thus, accurate measurement cannot be achieved. Furthermore, the method of minimizing a biometric information measuring module and attaching the minimized biometric information measuring module to a serial port has a disadvantage in that the minimization of the biometric information measuring module is limited in the case where the biometric information measuring module is equipped with all required components. Accordingly, there is a demand for the development of a device capable of managing health using a communication device directly or indirectly while maintaining the communication device in a light, thin, short and small form.